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Post by Skyfire on Dec 13, 2009 7:03:16 GMT -5
Buzz glared back at her. Sure, he knew she could take care of herself, but she let the creep kiss her hand in the first place!
Buzz didn’t like that smile, and he knew it wasn’t just out of jealousy. This guy was triggering his internal alarm system something fierce.
Buzz met Anderson’s gaze levelly, his voice calm. “Only when people act creepy, Mr. Anderson.” He stepped back up to Mira’s side and gently took her hand, turning to her. “Mira, do you want to go? You’re probably not going to find anything here for Christmas presents.” His blue eyes were earnest now, and a bit concerned. This guy isn’t good. Please, Mira, let’s go.
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Post by cherryproductions on Dec 13, 2009 10:23:21 GMT -5
For some reason, Anderson smiled at that. Bright and charming. "I take that as a compliment, Lightyear. As you can see this shop as an aurora about it. Something natural, unlike what you see in the streets with these petty decorations and lights that they only hang up once every year with this so called 'cheer' being gone in a matter of when the sales are over. This shop and I however, is just like it is. What you see it was you get."
He indicated the shop by shooting out his arms , like he was presenting a well known actor for an academy award.
"Christmas presants?" Anderson's ears perked up. Forgetting his dramatic demeanor he clapped his hands twice and the once dim room became a light show. The whole room was bright and unbearable to the human eye.
"Sorry about that.. SHould have warned you. Now, if you'll stay right there I'll head to the back of the shop to get out some iteams you will definitely want to look at. Be out in sec!" He ran at full speed to the back of the shop, pulling open a door with crazed cheer short of a insane asylum. "WIRE!" He called him. "We have cutomers."
Mira stared blankly out towards the back, her eyes adjusting to the light. She was blantly aware that Buzz had a firm grip on her hand, almost begging her to go.
"Maybe if we sneak out quietly they won't notice." She said, leading him towards the door. She looked up and noticed the door was censored. Biting on her tongue, she looked behind her. She heard clatting in the background and knew the two were still busy.
"I can ghost us out of here." She suggested. "That way we don't make any noise and they don't come chasing after us. That Anderson guy looks like he's up to almost anything."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 14, 2009 8:14:52 GMT -5
Captain Lightyear raised an eyebrow. “In which case, I’m not sure I like what I get.”
“Maybe,” Buzz nodded slowly. And now his brain was working to talk him out of leaving. “Or maybe we should stick around – to find out more about Anderson. If something’s wrong with him or what he’s doing, we should know.”
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Post by cherryproductions on Dec 14, 2009 18:45:25 GMT -5
Anderson merely smiled.
Mira kinda looked at him like he was crazy, the looked down at the hand, then back up at him. She coughed, slipping her hand out of his.
"Buzz I think you're as paranoid as this guy is crazy. We're off duty shopping for Christmas presents. Do we really need to get into something this complicated that we can't do later on when we're on the clock? Or at least send another unit in for?"
She didn't mean to sound like that, but all Mira really wanted to do today was shop for presents, go home and sleep for about ten hours before leaving for work the next morning. She was tired and cranky and not at all wanting to put up with Buzz's save the world one crazy lunatic at a time personality.
"Here we go! I have stuff lodged in the back from the past twenty years." Anderson said, plopping down a few boxes of what appeared to be filled to the brim with junk. Whipping the sweat with an old rag he went back to help his partner with the rest.
His partner, Wire, was taller and thinner than Anderson was, with raven black hair that was so long he wore it in a ponytail that reached halfway down his back.
"What kinda of names are Anderson and Wire anways?" Mira whispered to Buzz. She hushed up when Anderson smiled her way, tipping his head.
"You my dear, might be interested in this. Now mind you, it's quite old, but very valuable." He held up an object wrapped in heavy cloth that looked as deteriorated as most of the stuff in this shop. Anderson unraveled the object very carefully, letting the fabric twirl down towards the floor. What he revealed under it made Mira's breath catch.
A beautiful jewelry box lay in his hands, a slartling shade of blue that, with the heavy years that were etched into the towel that held it, never let it look a day old. It had dark green and yelow paint neatly patterned in a cross hatch across the box, and rubbies flourished the round of the lid with gold surrounding it.
"Where...where did you get that." She stammered, unable to keep her voice steady.
"Ah," Anderson sighed knowingly. "So you know of the box. I know a lady as fair as you would have good taste."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 15, 2009 16:19:45 GMT -5
Buzz frowned. “Well, yeah, I guess, but –” Anderson returned just then, with his assistant, Wire.
“Anderson’s English, and Wire’s 21st century like my surname,” Buzz whispered back.
Then Anderson brought out a jewelry box, and Mira looked stunned.
It clicked almost immediately for Buzz. Her mother’s jewelry box. Was Anderson a thief? He didn’t quite seem the type – of course, you could never underestimate evil, but…
Stepping forward slightly, Buzz briefly studied the jewelry box – it was indeed beautiful – and looked back up at Anderson. “The lady asked you a question,” he said seriously, almost sternly. “Where did you get this box?”
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Post by cherryproductions on Dec 15, 2009 20:58:50 GMT -5
Anderson looked down at the box in question. "Ah, well the origins of it, I'm not sure. But where I got it from is a really amusing story, but I can clearly tell you're not interested in that tale. I got it from a walking merchant. He had some artifacts for a cheap price that I bought til fill up the store. I only bought a few iteams, but this one was the real prize. I had it for about twenty years with no one every bidding to buy it. I've been planning on selling it for a long time. Since you two look like a decent couple I'll give it to you for a fair 30 unibucks?"
He cocked his head to the side in questioning at Mira's solemn face.
"Something wrong dear? You looked like you've seen a ghost."
She shook her head, almost like coming out of a daze. "No, it's nothing. It's just that box, it looks the same as my Grandmother's jewelry box. It got stolen when I was a kid and before she died. It was supposed to go to my mother but never made it to her. May I look at it?"
Anderson handed her the box without question, a smile on his face like it was glued there. Mira examined the box, looking at it sideways, underneath, inside, everywhere. She gave it back with a sigh.
"It's a fraud. Just a copy of a royalty box. Sorry."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 16, 2009 7:31:40 GMT -5
Buzz sighed – rather in relief, though he gave Mira’s shoulder a brief, sympathetic squeeze. Theft from the Tangean royal family could’ve been messy to deal with. Curious, now, though, as to what Anderson had to offer, Buzz asked, “Hey, have you, uh, got anything that an Evil E – I mean, uh, evil despot might like?” Blast it, why did he have to watch “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” the other day?? Whenever he saw that, he always ended up comparing Zurg to the Winter Warlock.
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Post by cherryproductions on Dec 16, 2009 18:03:02 GMT -5
Mira gave Buzz a bit of a shocked looked as Anderson popped open another box.
"Not too sure about the evil thing. We don't really get recommendations for evil people. But I think we have a pretty good substitute."
He pulled out what appeared to be a pen that was actually...no, no, it looked like a regular pen to Mira.
"This is the most magnificent weapon in the known galaxy. Perfect for fighting and destroying. I think it's the best gift for aan evil doer. For you, I'll let you have it for ten unibucks."
Mira glared at the pen then at Anderson. "It's a pen."
"No," Anderson explained. "It's a deadly weapon. I got it off this strange guy who was wondering around looking for a way to get rid of it. I gladly took it, free of charge."
"I thought he was a moron for taking it. Still do." Wire chriped in, his voicce muffled from inside another box.
"Hush Wire, no one asked you. Anyways, ten unibucks?"
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 17, 2009 7:43:33 GMT -5
Buzz ignored her as he waited for Anderson.
Buzz nodded understandingly. Even in a weird place like this, you probably would still be a bit pressed to find something suitable for the galaxy’s Evil Emperor.
Then Anderson brought out the pen, and explained its purpose to Mira. Buzz’s first reaction was to raise his eyebrows; his second was to start laughing. “I’m sorry, really,” Buzz apologized, still laughing. “That just… it’s very reminiscent of one of my missions.” He managed to get a lid on his laughter.
“Perfect for fighting and destroying, huh?” He sobered completely and shook his head. “In which case, it probably wouldn’t be the wisest gift. I don’t want to give this guy something that he can actually use to hurt people – or, try to hurt them, as the case may be.”
Buzz leaned down closer for a better look at the pen. “Huh, does look kinda like the Hyper Death Ray trigger – about which somebody –” brief pointed glance at Mira – “didn’t believe me.”
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Post by cherryproductions on Dec 17, 2009 18:40:00 GMT -5
"Buzz, you were sleep deprived." Mira stated bluntly. "No one believed you."
Anderson smiled between the two. "Well, if you're not wanting the pen." He tossed it to Mira, who caught it expertly. "Then how about a nice rubber duck?" Anderson then pulled a medium sized yellow duck from completely out of nowhere, bewildering Mira, who slid the pen into her pocket unknowingly.
"It's enjoyable, and it squeaks. No one can resist a squeaky toy when they see one. I don't know why, but it's like bubble wrap. It's there, it's tempting, and you have to either pop all the bubbles or die of craving." Anderson, while talking, was squeaking the toy deliberitly getting them to see the addiction behind it.
"Does this evil person of yours have ADD? In that case, I'll give this to you for three unibucks."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 18, 2009 7:32:15 GMT -5
“I lose dependability solely on sleep deprivation??” Buzz protested.
Buzz’s eyebrows skyrocketed. Sweet mother of Venus, Zurg would incinerate that poor, innocent little duck in no time flat!
Buzz nodded. Yeah, he could see Zurg squeezing that little thing all the time, instead of squeezing one of his poor little Grubs. The trick, though, would be getting the Evil Emperor past the point of incinerating the toy so that he could play with it.
“ADD?” Buzz echoed. Zurg? Nah. Buzz made a slight face and shook his head. “Sorry, I think we’re gonna hafta drop the duck, too. I don’t think the guy I have in mind would appreciate it.” He folded his arms and drummed his fingers, thinking. Then an idea hit him. “Say, would you happen to have any troll dolls? I know, I know, it’s weird, but do you?”
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Post by cherryproductions on Dec 18, 2009 17:10:19 GMT -5
"Buzz you had no idea what you were talking about!" Mira shot back. "You were about to drop from exhaustion and stress!"
"Interesting." Anderson mumbled, amused.
Anderson had his turn to give Buzz the crazy look. "Sorry, but no. Are you sure you don't want the rubber ducky? It's fun to play in the bath with!"
He squeaked it again for emphasis. He really wanted to sell that duck.
Wire sighed beside him, rolling his eyes. "How about a new cape? We have plenty from the Victorian era in the back. Will that do?"
Anderson pounted towards his partner. "A cape? A cape doesn't have class like a squeaky toy does!" He argued. "And it doesn't annoy the living hell out of the person beside you."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 19, 2009 8:48:43 GMT -5
Buzz ignored Anderson and said, “Whaddaya mean, I had no idea what I was talking about?? I mean, sure, I didn’t know what exactly Zurg was up to, but I knew that he was up to something, stress or no stress!”
Buzz returned the look right back. Could he help it if his arch-nemesis kept a troll doll collection? And this guy was starting to get on his nerves with the rubber duck. Buzz folded his arms across his broad chest and firmly said, “No. Sorry.”
Buzz perked up then. A cape?
Buzz cocked an eyebrow at the expletive, but stepped forward. “Actually… A cape would be good. Could I see your selection?”
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Post by cherryproductions on Dec 19, 2009 12:23:40 GMT -5
"You were about ready to collapse! If someone didn't stop you, you would have. Maybe one a mission!" Mira wasn't going to back off, she was too stuborn to.
"Ah, the pleasures of young love. Isn't that right Wire?"
Wire merely grunted in reply. "Have you two been married for long?" Anderson asked.
Mira stopped suddenly to turn on Anderson. The poor, miserable fool. "No! I mean, we're not married! He's just a friend."
Anderson nodded, understanding but not. He had a smile on his face that lit up the dim room more than Christmas lights would.
"Drat," Anderson sighed, giving the duck one last squeeze. That last squeeze, however, killed the poor toy as it's squeaker let out a noise that sounded much like a dying cat, deflating itself in his hands.
"Double drat! Wire look! It broke!"
"It's what you get when you constantly play with it. Your fault you didn't sell the thing."
"Right," Anderson looked down at the toy meekly. "Alright then. I'll just take the full price out of your pay then."
"HEY!" Wire yelped, jumping from where he was sitting on the nearest crate. "That thing cost five bucks!"
"And its outta your pay," Wire said, meaning every last bit of it. Wire growled under his breath, biting his tongue in front of the constumers. He would deal with Anderson later.
"Right this way," Wire said, the hostility not quite out of his vouce, but he did his best when talking to Buzz. He led him into the back storage room, through a hallway of nick-nacks and objects that had about ten layers of dust on them and cobwebs from neglect of a proper dusting.
"They're in here." He said, opening the door with his shoulder. He didn't wait for Buzz's responce, running right into the room. He'd seen faces like this before, and it was a usual thing to handle nowadays.
"Big, ain't it?"
Big wasn't the word for it. The storage room, contrary to belief, was larger than the store itself, and bigger than most of the stores on the block. The ceiling was at least thirty feet high, with shelves full of iteams that should have dated back to the early 1400's.
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 20, 2009 6:26:18 GMT -5
But Buzz was every bit as stubborn as Mira. “I was not ready to collapse, and I wouldn’t have on a mission!” he argued. “At least not as long as I had enough coffee.”
Why did people automatically assume that? Craters, their relationship was getting serious just now, yet people had been saying stuff like that for the past two-and-a-half years!
“Well, thanks a lot,” Buzz muttered sarcastically, briefly looking away before refocusing on Anderson. “Co-workers. Close friends. Casual dates. Happy?”
…When Anderson broke the rubber duck, though, Buzz had to smother a laugh. So much for his cute little squeaky toy. But… wait, wait, wait: Anderson was going to take the cost – however trivial – out of Wire’s pay? “Hey, that’s hardly fair,” Buzz protested, frowning. “You broke the toy, not your employee.”
Buzz’s jaw fell as he took it in. What a place! He took a few wandering steps forward, taking note of the capes on his right – then a glint of metal caught his eye and he turned toward it. Swords.
European, Arabian, Oriental… Some were wicked, even ugly, and others were works of art. His adoring gaze rested upon two double-handed broadswords, one slightly longer than the other. Each had a blood-groove running down the middle and a simple black hilt.
He picked the shorter one, almost reverently, and held it aloft. Then he stepped back and swept the blade down diagonally. He put the sword through several fighting moves for a full minute, reveling in the sensation of using a real broadsword. At last, he stopped, and examined the weapon. It was in excellent condition, as was its counterpart.
“Mira, I think I found something here!” he grinned.
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